Officials are asking that people avoid the park as they investigate the report. Please let us know how we can improve this page. Now man is encroaching into more remote parts of the state, forcing the cougars out of their hiding places, Mr. Lutz says. l then got to thinking about a description, the color is rather unique. From RD:I live in Cumberland in Maurice River township. I told some people but Im not sure anyone believed me. The Pa. Game Commission investigated this picture. Many believe mountain lions still exist in Pennsylvania. I was told to call animal control. The young adult male was killed by an SUV on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in Milford, Connecticut on June 11, 2011. var year = today.getFullYear() In Maryland, what inquiring minds want to know is whether big cats are prowling suburbia. With all the deer, geese, and other prey everywhere, why wouldnt they be here!!!! Greenbelt Park is managed by the National Park Service. There was an animal that ran very quickly across the road and we both said that it looked like a mountain lion. Well, that latest story has exploded, going viral and being shared all across the state. A video posted Tuesday on Facebook of a mountain lion ambling across a dirt road near Edens Red Knolls has snagged a lot of interest, according to social media views and discussion. It was crossing Clove Rd. ", "Oh," said the officer, "then it isn't a mountain lion. CAPTAIN COOK, Hawaii (KITV4) -- A possible big cat sighting is being investigated on the Big Island. Fish and Game has to acknowledge their existence so the public is aware. Bobcats are found in the mountains of western Maryland, even in some counties along the Chesapeake Bay and one sighting came from the Eastern Shore. "They never left," Mr. Lutz argues. From C:About 15 years ago we were on our motorcycles riding around Delaware NJ by the Gap we went on a gravel road came to a bridge we couldn't cross turned around driving real slow cause we all had Harleys I kept like 10 bike lengths between us because of the dust kicking up and right in front of me crossed a mountain lion no more than 10 feet away from me no way I was mistaken. .it walked right out downwind of us and broadside to both of us at 25 yards or so. Click here to login. And yes I believe these other stories. Another sighting involved a wild cougar that traveled through New York as it trekked nearly 1,800 miles east from its native population in South Dakota. They are also known as pumas, cougars and panthers. I only saw the back half of the animal which was muscular, tan colored with a long tail that curled at the end. From BK:I am so happy to read your article I have been telling people for years my friend and I saw a cougar and Greystone Park in Morris County I believe it was 2013 it was the end of September or early October we were coming from fishing and as we were riding I saw it stalking a bunch of deer. 3600 New York Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002. Delivered right as the newspaper goes to print on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Copyright 2014 The Washington Times, LLC. Create a password that only you will remember. MONTEREY There are no photos. If you are not and would like to read this and all the other great . Whether that's true or not, I don't know, but I do know that there are mountain lions - or at least one lion - in the area. Hunters do not stumble across the remains of dead mountain lions in the woods, he says. We do get photos/videos sent to us claiming to have witnessed a mountain lion but it is almost always a bobcat or sometimes even a house cat. Have any questions? These areas are heavily wooded reserves owned by Morris County and the State of New Jersey. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23, Laura Newberry | laura.newberry@masslive.com, Are there Mountain Lions in Massachusetts? // February 12, 2021. The hikers did not see the prey animal, but the mountain lion was focused and had zeroed in on something in the bushes. Diana Marchibroda and her miniature schnauzer froze in their tracks when the mountain lion stepped out of the woods last May. Crews were seen from a D.C. chopper searching the park with long guns. When I got up to where I think it was it was gone and to me, if it was a bear well bears don't have tails and two to me a bear would kind of struggle to get into the woods and lose stamina after a certain point maybe this thing it ran it took off and didn't look back. It was early morning so it was pretty quiet. This gave Nebraska lions some protection under Commission ruling until 2014 when, in a controversial decision, hunting permits were issued . Saw one in my backyard in Mercer County in 2018. For a solid four seconds, Marchibroda watched as a large, sleek cat standing about three feet tall with a long, curled tail crossed Skyline Drive near Gavel Springs Gap less than 100 feet in front of them. It was a rumor that State Fish and game stocked mountain lions to take care of it, to this day they deny it but I dont doubt they did. On a side note, I've been out near West Virginia and the western parts of both Maryland and Virginia enough to know that it is a commonly held belief that mountain lions still exist 'round those parts. Needless to say, I'm overwhelmed by the number of people in our state who claim that they have seen a cougar or mountain lion. AZGFD sold 11,851 tags in 2021; 260 mountain. Turned its head and looked right at me for several seconds. However, he did say (off the record) that he believed us - he was a hunter and had seen evidence of them in and around our area of the state. Another sighting was on Storms Ave in Haskell NJ. Just a matter of time until fish and game acknowledge it. Rags to riches: Stars who were once homeless, Nowhere to hide: US military's portable anti-material weapons, Semper Fi: Famous people you didnt know were U.S. Marines, Fire from the clouds: US military close air support, Beauty and brains: Smartest female celebrities, Fastest combat planes in the US Air Force, Pence fails to see nuance in Ukraine war, sides with military-industrial complex. For more information on mountain lions, visit the . I had people bash us for telling our story - but we've never wavered. If your state is not . July 31, 2018 / 4:17 PM Case 1 Delivered right as the newspaper goes to print on Wednesdays. From TM:Hey Joe. People even report House Cats as mountain lions in a surprising number of cases. February 12. Even though the WV DNR says there are no wild mountain lions in the state, there are some held in captivity at the West Virginia Wildlife Center in French Creek. Then, a gentleman who worked in our IT department said, I believe you. Forget Big Foot or the Loch Ness monster. l thought "oh shit" and figured l could try to use my bicycle for protection and dismounted. If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site. Evidence could include the body of a dead mountain lion or a live wild-captured animal; photos or video, in which a mountain lion can be identified and MassWildlife can confirm the location; DNA evidence from hair, scat, etc. Already a subscriber to OutdoorNews.com? The Connecticut mountain lion is the best documented wild Mountain Lion in New England. He suggested I didn't see a lion etc. In certain situations, the similarities in the silhouette are remarkable. Therres reminds us all that it is very easy to misidentify a mountain lion by providing an example of people constantly misidentifying bald eagles. document.write(year) Pitch-black out and all I could hear was a long slow deep growling that sounded like nothing Id ever heard except once before 3 years ago. The MLRT has confirmed fewer than 100 cases. This is the longest documented travel distance of a mountain lion. Also, Bobcats are spreading into areas in which they have not been seen before. All rights reserved (About Us). From TP:I was driving on the parkway in Toms River back in the late winter and I swear I saw a dead mountain lion in the median. Both off of Carrs Mill Rd before the cement bridge (for those of you that may be familiar) Pigeons? From ER:Many years ago - back in late 2012 I was preparing a yard sale with my youngest daughter (she was 12 at the time) on our driveway in Ringwood, NJ. They are definitely here. In recent weeks, there have been several reported sightings of mountain lions in rural areas of the Twin Tiers. It was bloody and the hair was a mess around its head. Photo of a mountain lion taken by a game camera and a kill site of an 80 lb. 13507065_10205364039255335_8657515368052999240_n.jpg. Turkey vultures return to Ohio a sure harbinger of the coming spring? All rights reserved, Officers Shoot, Kill Man With Knife: Frederick City Police, DC Health COVID Centers Are Closing March 31, Driver Dies in Frederick, Maryland Tanker Fire; Northbound US Route 15 Lanes Closed, Family Explores Legal Action After Student Forced to Pick Cotton in Class, Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Chaos': Matthew McConaughey, Camila Alves Were on Harrowing Lufthansa Flight Diverted by Turbulence. There are two records of mountain lions in Massachusetts thatmeet the evidence requirements. Last year he recorded 11 cougar sightings in Maryland, 38 in Pennsylvania and six in Virginia. Mountain lions inhabit the badlands and Missouri River breaks regions of North Dakota. Mountain lions also were reportedly sighted in Cape St. Claire in 1969, Kingsville in 1971 and several areas of Prince George's County in 1988. One said his father swore he had seen one, and their guess was it was an escapee from Great Adventure. Many believe mountain lions still exist in Pennsylvania. Lioneither a young one or a female I figured..went home, called NJF&G at the time, and reported it.. asked if they were interested in setting a culvert-type trap to capture it.they seemed pretty disinterested at the time, said it wasn't feasible as we were in a residential type area.. the day after with fresh snow on the ground we returned to find where it had stalked and killed a wild turkey.it was obvious to us with the winged slash marks still in the snow and where it walked downhill with the turkey in its mouth pushing the snow to the sides of it making a smooth pathway..it was something my son and I will never forget. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. There was no question as to what it was, with its coloring and long tail. From RV:In the summer of 2002, I was biking south on the D&R canal path near Millstone NJ. They used to roam the entire continent, but have become extinct in most US states. State workers have confirmed sightings of about 100 mountain lions also known as pumas, panthers, catamounts and cougars since 1994, when the Department of Conservation started tracking. The report stated that a woman spotted a mountain lion in Greenbelt. ". We had just finished setting up the stuff on the driveway and were just sitting enjoying the silence when we both spotted what looked like a giant cat across the street on the edge of the field near the tree line. It is difficult to know if someone saw a mountain lion without any tangible evidence. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. They can weigh between 50-300 lbs. So, thanks to all who reached out, and to all who are as fascinated about this subject as I am. adroll_pix_id = "UONCO23J7FHDDMDTKEX733"; It had a small animal hanging from its mouth. In May 2018, a mountain lion attacked two mountain bikers 30 miles east of Seattle, Washington, killing one, but it's only the 15th fatal attack in North America since 1970. Because you will never go out of your house at night. Let us know what's going on! We won't share it with anyone else. Very interesting piece. 01, 2016, . One neighbor described the creature as larger and wider than a deer, with the long tail of a cat. I would just like to share the information that people are sharing with me. The report stated that a woman spotted a mountain lion in Greenbelt Park, WUSA9 confirmed Tuesday. In the interest of gathering credible mountain lion sightings when mountain lions actually arrive in the east the research team here at eMammal has put together a guide to identifying mountain lions. Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information. (A valid mountain lion pursuit-only permit or a valid, unused mountain lion non-permit tag is required.). I could not believe my eyes! The Missouri Dept of Conservation release information regarding a vehicle striking a mountain lion (cougar) not far from Six Flags. A 140-pound male mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in 2011 in Milford, Connecticut. Suggestions are presented as an open option list only when they are available. A man named Jacob Soto said that he and a co-worker filmed the lion; they work at farms in the area. -Anyone bitten by a mountain lion must immediately seek medical attention for rabies shots unless the biting animal can be captured and tested for rabies. 15: January 22, 2011: Macon: Subadult male mountain lion shot by coyote hunters. Straw says. It came out of the woods and stopped in the middle of the road right in front of me in the headlights. This is especially true of western Maryland. Females are typically smaller. A number of years ago, a friend and I were driving around Walpack, which is part of The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. People from all parts of the city are posting accounts. Receive the digital, interactive PDF of the newspaper in your inbox. In April 1997, experienced tracker John McCarter found scat near a beaver carcass at the Quabbin Reservation. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but l have since never taken that ride. From EW:Lions in NJmy son and myself were on a hunt in a ground blind on a friend's farm in Liberty Corner, NJ Somerset CoFebruary 19, 1996.roughly around 4:00 pm in the afternoon I thought a deer had entered the pine forest we were adjacent to.we were actually hunting bushy tails with flintlock smoothbores as deer season was closed.